Rutgers goes into overtime on football stadium expansion

Contractors rushing to complete the first phase of the Rutgers Stadium expansion project before the Scarlet Knights' season opener on Sept. 1 have gone to a no-huddle offense.

Ed Murray/The Star-LedgerWork on the mid-level of the Rutgers Football Stadium in late June.

Crews are working seven days a week -- with 10-hour shifts on weekdays and eight-hours on weekends -- in an effort to complete a new mezzanine section that will add 1,000 premium club seats and boxes.

University officials said the accelerated schedule, which will add another $300,000 to the project, was always anticipated. But with the first game less than two weeks away and tickets for those seats already sold, there is a sense of urgency to complete the work.

"Extended days and weekends have been implemented on an as-needed basis," said university spokesman E.J. Miranda. "There is an allowance for overtime built into the construction cost."

Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerA worker uses a stencil to paint on the section numbers on the second level of the Rutgers stadium during team practice in early August.

He said the decision to speed the work was made once it was determined that an accelerated schedule was feasible, adding that the university expects to have fans in the new seats on opening day.

"Phase 1 will be ready for the Sept. 1 season opener versus Fresno State," Miranda said.

Rutgers officials will not say how much work remains on the first phase, but those who have visited the site say none of the seats had been installed as of late last week, bathrooms were unfinished and the luxury club areas and president's reception area were still just an outline of metal studs awaiting electrical work and wallboard.

The entire $102 million expansion project, to be financed by bonds that will be repaid from stadium revenues, has been running into longer-term cost problems. Bids for the major structural work on the project's second phase came in $18 million higher than anticipated. The university says it is looking for ways to keep within the $102 million budget without cutting back on the stadium's capacity.

"The scope is still being reviewed and all options are being considered, including rebidding some of the work," Miranda said. "The project will include 13,000 seats for our fans and the final cost will remain $102 million."